Aman'lu
Aman'lu'' ''is the greatest town of the Elves. Nestled at the very heart the Vai'lutra Forest, Aman'lu sits near the source of the magical waters that flow through the region. This gave the town its name, Aman'lu, which means Blessed Waters in Elvish. The Hero of the Second Age was raised here. History Origins Ever since the legendary Elven siblings, Istaura and Isteru, led their kind out of the Time of Darkness, raising the mountains and causing Vai'lutra Forest to grow, Elves have lived near the sacred source of the waters that flow through their lands. The forest-dwelling Elf tribes often gathered at this place, which they called Aman'lu, and many promising young children were brought to bask in the magic of the blessed waters. One such child was named Arinth. Arinth would become one of the greatest sorcerers ever known to the Elves, but also the most terrible of them all. Arinth was afflicted with a special kind of madness, and the young wizard decimated the lands around Aman'lu before being stopped by Isteru, who is said to have locked the mad mage away in a distant place after breaking his staff. Centuries later, when the First Cataclysm swept across Aranna in the wake of Azunai and Zaramoth's clash, many Elves worried that the waters of Aman'lu would be befouled. Many tribes left the forests, and settled near the source of the waters in order to protect them. More Elves would follow suite as the Vai'lutra began to grow more hostile towards its ancient protectors. Around this time, the elderly Isteru would create the Prism of the Elves upon the Elen'lu Isles to the north of Aman'lu. The great sorcerer foresaw dark times approaching in the wake of the cataclysm, and instilled his formidable powers into the Prism in order to protect his people in times of need, even after he was gone. This would prove to be Isteru's last act. Coming of the Familiars Seven days after Isteru's death, his premonitions came true. An alien race known as the Nothriim, or Familiars, appeared from out of the mountains. Their leaders, the horrifying fiends known as Surgeons, performed horrible experiments on creatures that they captured, creating grotesque mutants by magically sewing together this body part and that. The Elves of Aman'lu were unprepared for these invaders, and were on the verge of fleeing their lands. But then, an Elf named Lorethal appeared, and formed a group of elite warriors known as the Crimson Hunters. For one hundred years, they battled the Familiars, driving them back from whence they came. Although Lorethal was killed in battle, the Elves were able to imprison the Familiar Surgeons behind powerful spells that drew their magic from the blessed waters of Aman'lu. So long as they flowed, the Surgeons would never return. The Elves rebuilt, and would prosper for many years afterwards. The Aegis of Death Many Humans came to Aman'lu in these days, including an ancient scholar, who carried with him a fragment of the Shield of Azunai: the Aegis of Death. He entrusted the Aegis to the Elven elders, and gave one of them, Drevisil, an ancient medallion, as well, warning them to keep these artifacts safe. In time, a guild of powerful sorcerers arose to harness the immense power of the Aegis. This guild, known as the Manu Ostar, channeled their spells through the artifact, and became masters of death magic through increasingly complex ceremonies that involved the mana of not only one or two Elves, but the entire guild. One such ritual backfired however, and the Manu Ostar were cursed. Their brethren came to fear them, and these mages were exiled into the darkest parts of Vai'lutra Forest. To this day, they are known as the Vai'kesh, evil spirits. Dungeon Siege II The rise of Valdis, a prince from the Northern Reaches, began in the early 1200s, and he often sought the wisdom of the Elves of Aman'lu. In time, many young men and women raised in Aman'lu joined Valdis' armies as mercenaries, including an elf named Drevin and his best friend. But some did not trust this Human prince, with a few, like the legendary adventurer, Amren, joining the budding resistance. Soon, however, the Elves realized their mistake. Valdis revealed himself to be a madman as the decades passed, his ambition driving him to conquer all of Aranna. Many died to satiate his tyrannical desires, including the young Drevin, who was amongst those that were betrayed by Valdis at the Temple of the Coast on Greilyn Isle. It was in the year 1243 that Princess Evangeline, the leader of the resistance, came to Aman'lu, seeking the Aegis of Death. Celeb'hel the Elder gladly let her take it, but when Valdis arrived days later, he exacted his terrible retribution upon the town; the vile Archmage called a meteor down from the heavens, leveling most of Aman'lu. Drevin's friend returned soon after, with news of the Elf's death. Seeking to make amends for helping Valdis, the former mercenary ventured to the Elen'lu Isles, and activated the Prism of the Elves, bringing a healing rain down upon their ailing hometown. With the bridge south repaired by Aman'lu's resident engineer, Finala, the hero and their band chased after the princess in hopes of protecting the Aegis from Valdis. Broken World The Elves of Aman'lu used their magical vision to observe the final battle against Valdis, but when the Sword of Zaramoth once again met the Shield of Azunai, and sparked the Second Cataclysm, tragedy struck. The magical backlash swept across the land, and the town elders gave their lives to protect Aman'lu from it; while they saved many lives, the Elves had their visions burned out of them. Soon after, the Elen'lu Isles sank, causing even more hysteria. Blaming Celeb'hel for his support of the hero who had struck down Valdis, the residents expelled him into the Vai'lutra Forest. A year later, the ancient enemies of the Elves, the Familiars, returned. Aman'lu was devastated once again; the Vai'lutra Forest burned, and the blessed waters ran dry. Many believed that the time of the Elves had come to an end, but some, like the Estelath Warriors, the Blood Assassin known as Ressa, and the group that had defeated Valdis, stood against the Familiars. Eventually, the Surgeons themselves were defeated, and the bound creatures were driven from the surrounding lands. Even though the threat of the Overmage still loomed over the world, most Elves refused to help. After those brave few who had worked to stop the evil machinations of the Cinbri emerged victorious, Finala returned to Aman'lu. She took up the mantle of leadership, and guided the efforts to rebuild alongside Danadel, who was inspired by the heroes to become a great warrior in his own right. In time, the town of the Elves would recover. Notable Characters from Aman'lu *Hero of the Second Age *Drevin *Amren *Finala *Ressa *Celeb'hel the Elder *Arinth the Mad Category:Locations Category:Locations in Dungeon Siege II Category:Towns